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Bashir in Egypt, Defying ICC Arrest Warrant

Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir hastraveled to Egypt, in a further show of defiance to the courtseeking his arrest for alleged war crimes in Darfur.

Mr. Bashir was welcomed at the Cairoairport Wednesday by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The twoleaders held talks that officials say focused on the arrest warrantand the humanitarian situation in Darfur.

The International Criminal Court hascalled on all nations to arrest the Sudanese president. But Egyptis considered unlikely to comply.

The country is not a signatory to thecourt, and has urged the United Nations Security Council topostpone the ICC’s case against Mr. Bashir.

ICC prosecutors accuse Mr. Bashir oforchestrating a campaign of rape, murder and other crimes againstcivilians in Darfur, where his government has been fighting rebelssince 2003.

Mr. Bashir has dismissed the court as atool of Western imperialism. Wednesday’s visit to Egypt was hissecond trip abroad this week, after a brief visit to Eritrea onMonday.

Meanwhile, the United Nations-ledpeacekeeping force in Darfur says attackers set fire to a refugeecamp near the Chadian border Wednesday. It says at least one personwas killed and some 600 shelters were destroyed.

The United Nations says the fighting andrelated violence in Darfur since 2003 has killed more than 200,000people, and displaced more than 2.5 million others. Sudan says thedeath toll is around 10,000.

Mr. Bashir has said that despite thearrest warrant, he plans to attend an Arab summit in Qatar nextweek.

Claude Salhani, an editor with the MiddleEast Times, tells VOA that it is unlikely that any Arab countrywill enforce the arrest warrant against the Sudanese president.

Salhani says Arab countries will refuse toact out of solidarity and a fear that one day their leaders couldface a similar fate.